Means for cleaning third-rail tunnels of railways



D. W. PECK. MEANS FOR CLEANING THIRD-RAIL TUNNELS 0F RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, 1921. 1,41 0,21 9. Pa ented Mar- 21, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- IN V EN TOR.

A TT ORNE Y.

D. W. PECK. MEANS FOR CLEANING THIRD-RAIL TUNNELS 0F RAILWA YS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 29, I921- 2 SHEETSSHEET'2- 'INV EN TOR.

' ATTORNEYA Patented Mar. 21, 1922.

DUNCAN W. "BECK, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

MEANS FOR CLEANING THIRD-RAIL TUNNELS'GF RAILWAYS;

rai ers.

Specification of Letters'fzatent.

Fatented Mar. 21, 1922,

Application filed March 29, 1921. Serial No. 456,603.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, DUNCAN W Peon, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Means for Cleaning Third- Pcail Tunnels of hiailways, of which the following is a specification;

lhis invention has for its object means for cleaning and especially for removing ice and snow from the tunnels of railways, in which the trolley wire, third rail or cable is located beneath the surface of the road bed and particularly means for removing the snow and ice from the tunnel after the slot has been cut out. The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of one embodiment of my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of parts seen in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional fragmentary view of a tunnel showing the contiguous portion of my tunnel cleaner therein.

Figure l is a sectional view on line 4-4, F 1.

Figure 5 is a detail view of the rack for holding the cutter bar.

I have here shown my invention combined with the cutter bar of my application, Sr. No. l-O1,969, filed Aug. 7, 1920.

This device comprises primarily a conduit for a fluid under pressure, as steam, arranged to extend into the slot and having lateral discharge openings arrangedto come below the surface of the slot.

In the illustrated embodiment, of my in vention, the pipe is carried by a bar, as the cutter bar of my application, above referred to which bar is carried by a truck and inclines forwardly and downwardly so that it enters the slot below the axle of the wheels of thetruck so as to be least affected by side motions of the body of the truck, when following the slot. Also to facilitate following the slot the bar is shift-able laterally.

1 designates the pipe for fluid under pressuitable source of supply, as a boiler 3. and

at its lower end secured. to the bar. The lower end portion is provided with discharge openings 4; arranged to project against the wall of the tunnel 5 and the electric con ductor and loosen ice, snow, etc., so that it melts and runs out along the bottom of the tunnel below the rail 6. V i

The bar 2 is a cutter bar and has cutting edges on its front side,'and also has: a ful crum, as rollers 7 on the upper face of the walls of the slot 8 in the rear of where the front edges of the bar passes through the slot 8. As best seen in Fig. 4:,jthe portion 2 of the bar 2, which enters the slot 8 is detaehably connected to the major part of; the bar 2, the shank of the knife being shown as T-shaped and butted against the end of the major part 2 of the bar and these two parts are clamped between the angle irons 2*. The knife 2 is thus removable to permit a new knife to be substituted.

9 designates the truck including pairs of wheels 10 and a platform or body 11 on which the boiler 3, the water tank 12, and the fuel or oil tank 13 and such other necessary apparatus are mounted.

In order to conform to the curves and irregularities ormisalinements of the slot 8, thenpipe 1 is mounted to swing laterally, and as here shown, the bar 2 which carries the pipe is connected by a brace 14: to the truck body, the brace 14 being pivoted at 15 at its front end to the bar and connected by clevises 16 to the truck body.

The pivot 15 serves a fulcrum point about which the bar tends to fulcrum whenpressure is appliedto the front cutting edges at the lower end of the bar. The upper end of the bar 2 as here illustrated, extends under a cross rod 17 carried at the upper end of an upright 18 running from the platform of the truck, the cross rod being provided with a rack 19 for receiving the upper edge of the bar and holding it in any lateral adjustment.

The rack 19 is here shown as pivoted at 20 to the bai rod 17 and provided with a handle 21 for moving it on its pivot to disengage it from the bar2 to prevent the bar to swing or be swung laterally and to again engage the bar to hold it in its adjusted position. The bar is held engaged with a rack by the pressure against the lower end of the same.

The pipe 1 and bar 2 preferably enter the slot 8 directly beneath the axle 20 of one pair of wheels. In operation the bar 2 first cuts out the slot 8 and then the steam, projected from the pipe melts the snow and ice in the tunnel.

What I claim is: v V

1. A device for cleaning the surface slots and the tunnels of underground. third rail systems comprising a bar for entering the slot and a plpe for a heated fluid extending along the lower end of the bar and havlng discharge openings arranged to come below 7 the surface of the slot, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A device for cleaning the surface slots 1 and the tunnels of underground third rail systems comprising an inclined bar for on tering the slot and a pipe for a heated fluid. extending along the rear edge of the lower end portion of the bar and having dis charge openings arranged to come below the slot, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

3. A device forcleaning the surface slots and the tunnels of underground third rail systems comprising an inclined bar for entering the slot and having a cutting edge on its front side, and a pipe for a heated fluid extending along the rear edge of the lower end portion of the bar and having discharge openings arranged to come below the slot, substantially as and for the purpose described. I

4. A device for cleaning the surface slots and the tunnels of underground third rail systems comprising a truck, a pipe for a fluid arranged between the truck wheels and entering the slot directly below the axle of such wheels, the pipe having discharge openings arranged to come below the slots, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

I -5. A device for cleaning the surface slots and the tunnels of underground third rail systemscomprising a truck, a bar supported by the truck and depending therefrom and arranged to enter the slot directly below the axle of the truck wheels, a pipe secured to the lower end portion of the bar and having discharge openings arranged to come below the slot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. A device for cleaning the surface slots and the tunnels of underground third rail systems comprising a truck, a bar supported by the truck and depending therefrom and arranged to enter the slot directlydoelow the axle of the truck wheels, a" pipe secured to the lower end port on ofthe bar and having discharge openings arranged to come he low the slot, said her being shiftable laterally, substantially as and for the purpose described. 7 i

7. A device for cleaning the surface slots and the tunneds of underground third rail systems comprising a truck, a downwardly and forwardly inclined cutter bar carried by the truck having its lower end provided with cutting edges arranged inthe slot, the cutter bar being provided with means near its lower end for riding on the surfaces of the tunnels on oposite sides ofthe slot, and a pipe for a heated fluid extending along the lower portion of the rear edge of the bar and having lateral discharge openings arranged to come below the slot, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

8. A device for cleaningthesurface slots and the tunnels of underground third rail systems comprising a conduit for a heated fluidextending through the slot and having lateral discharge-openings arranged to come below the slot, the width of the conduit and the portions provided with a discharge openings being less than the width of "the slot whereby the conduit can be inserted in and removed from the slot at any point along the slot, substantially as and for the purpose described. a 1 y 9. A device for cleaning the surface slots of underground trolly or railways comprising an inclined bar for extending through the slot and mounted to swing laterally at its upper end, and a movable rack having notches to engage the bar in any of its lateral ways comprlsing a nozzle for entering the slot, the nozzle having lateral openings, a 119 guard and guide for the nozzle arranged to maintainthe nozzle duringits operation in i 'such position that the direction of the jets through the lateral openings are constantly directed laterally to the points to be thawed, substantially as and for the purpose specified,

11. A device for cleaning the surface slots of tunnels of underground trolleys or railways comprising a supporting truck, a 120 downwardly inclined cutter bar for entering the slot carried by the truck and mounted to swing laterally, means coacting with the cutter bar operable to permit such lateral movement and to hold it from lateral movement, substantially as and for the pur pose described. 7 i

12. A device for cleaning the surface slots of tunnels of underground trolleys or railways comprislng a supporting truck, a

downwardly inclined cutter bar for entering the slot carried by the truck and mounted to swing laterally, means coacting with the cutter bar operable to permit such lateral movement and to hold it from lateral movement, and a conduit for a heated fluid ex tending along the lower portion of the cutter bar and arranged to come beneath the slot, the conduit having laterally directed discharge openings, substantially as and for 10 the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto, signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 26th day of February 1921.

Duncan W. PEGK. 

